Radiology Coding Alert

You can count on three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Correct Coding Initiative edits for fluoro.

72295: The latest CCI version (15.2), effective July 1, includes a new edit to prevent reporting 72295 (Discography, lumbar, radiological supervision and interpretation) with 62287 (Decompression procedure, percutaneous, of nucleus pulposus of intervertebral disc, any method, single or multiple levels, lumbar [e.g., manual or automated percutaneous discectomy, percutaneous laser discectomy]).

A "0" modifier indicator means that you may never override the edit.

Tip: A parenthetical note with 62287 instructs you to report fluoroscopic guidance for the procedure using 77003 (Fluoroscopic guidance and localization of needle or catheter tip for spine or paraspinous diagnostic or therapeutic injection procedures [epidural, transforaminal epidural, subarachnoid, paravertebral facet joint, paravertebral facet joint nerve, or sacroiliac joint], including neurolytic agent destruction).

76000: The latest edits also bundle 76000 (Fluoroscopy [separate procedure], up to 1 hour physician time, other than 71023 or 71034 [e.g., cardiac fluoroscopy]) into 140 surgical codes -- extending an already long list of 76000 bundles.

But remember that edits only apply to services performed by a single physician submitted on a single claim. Before you report fluoro, though, remember that as with any imaging code, the radiologist does not have to personally operate the fluoro machine, but he is required to supervise the technologist who is operating it and must interpret the images. The report should indicate fluoro use and the findings.